ProRodeo Sports News - Nov. 1, 2024

PRORODEO COWBOYS

VIDEO

BY ALEX DODD A cowboy’s first full season in PRORODEO is a grind. Saddle bronc rider Zac Dallas, tie-down roper Cole Clemons and bull rider Wacey Schalla attempted to make their dreams of a trip to Las Vegas a reality during the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup, Sept. 26-28 in Sioux Falls, S.D. “I’m excited to be here,” Dallas said when he arrived in the Rushmore State on Sept. 25. “I’m grateful to have gotten in, and I know there are going to be some good horses and a lot of good guys to compete against. I’m just happy to be here, and I’m going to treat it like any other rodeo.” To qualify for the event held on the final weekend of the regular season, the three rookies had to finish in the top eight of the PRCA Playoff Series Standings or the top four of their respective events at the Cinch Playoffs in Puyallup, Wash. The richest rodeo in South Dakota history paid out more than Resistol Rookies gunned for NFR bids at Governor’s Cup Dreams Realized But Resistol Rookies enter the year with the same goal as every other rodeo athlete, finishing the season at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge.

PRCA ProRodeo photos The Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup paid out more than $1 million from Sept. 26-28 at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls, S.D.

$1 million, more than enough to secure spots in the Wrangler NFR for Clemons and Dallas, who entered the weekend on the bubble. “You always want to win, but right now, it’s needed,” Clemons said at the back number ceremony on Sept. 25. “You’d rather be up there at the front at the top of the world standings. But I think it’s fun worrying about everything that’s going on and having to win. It kind of gets your blood pumping. So, I’m ready for it.” Schalla pulled up in a different situation. The 18-year-old phenom went on a fall heater and had the opportunity to climb to the top of the PRCA | RAM World Standings in the bull riding with a Governor’s Cup win. “You can’t ever have enough (money),” Schalla said at the back number ceremony. “Something like this will definitely push me into hopefully leading the bull riding going into bull riding at the Finals. We’ll see how it goes and see how much money I can get in my pocket.” LIFE ON THE BUBBLE Clemons entered the event with a razor-thin margin for error in the tie-down roping standings, and with four days remaining in the season, he

ProRodeo Sports News 11/1/2024

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